Little Brothers of Mary

With Mary, go in haste to a new land!

Rome, September 8 – October 10, 2009

Document of the XXI General Chapter

Editor-in-Chief:Brother AMEstaún

Publications Commission:Brothers Emili Turú, AMEstaún,Onorino Rota y Luiz Da Rosa.

Photography:AMEstaún, Archives of the General House

Registry and Statistics :Gabriela Scanavino

Formatting and Photolithography:TIPOCROM, s.r.l.Via A. Meucci 28, 00012 Guidonia,Roma (Italia)

Production and Administrative Center:Piazzale Marcellino Champagnat, 2C.P. 10250 - 00144 ROMATel. (39) 06 54 51 71Fax (39) 06 54 517 217E-mail: publica@fms.itWeb: www.champagnat.org

Publisher:Institute of the Marist BrotherGeneral House - Rom

Printing:C.S.C. GRAFICA, s.r.l.Via A. Meucci 28, 00012 Guidonia,Roma (Italia)

October 2009

21st General Chapter

new heartsfor a new world

Presentation

Br. Emili Turú Superior general

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T he document you hold in your hands bringstogether what the members of the XXI Gen-

eral Chapter decided to publish as an expres-sion of all they experienced during the 33 daysthey were together, as well as the main coursesof action suggested for the Institute for thenext 8 years, and the most relevant decisionsmade.

First, we have the “Letter of the XXI GeneralChapter”, written in reply to the “Letters fromthe regions”, which were very well received andstudied by the members of the Chapter. I believethat the letter is supposed to be a way of con-

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tinuing the dialogue which began in thepreparatory phase throughout the Institute, andwhich carried on during the five weeks of theChapter, not only around the tables in the chap-ter hall, but also with many other people,thanks especially to the Internet. Written in adirect and simple style, the letter invites us notto stop the dialogue now the General Chapter isover. All the people who, in one way or another,took part in the various phases of the chapterprocess should feel called to continue this wayof listening and dialogue, becoming more fa-miliar with the call of the Lord to the Marist In-stitute today.

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The capitulants intend their Letter to be distrib-uted as quickly as possible, so that all have intheir hands the essentials of the XXI GeneralChapter, without necessarily going into all thedetails. For this reason, it is to be noted thatthere is a certain repetition within the docu-ments that follow, since the letter contains ele-ments from all of them.

The nucleus of the call of the Lord to the MaristInstitute, as it was perceived by the chapter as-sembly, is formulated in various ways in the“Fundamental Call”, using several ways to ex-press a very deep collective experience: a slo-gan in the imperative, placed on the lips of theLord; a more elaborate text, explaining the slo-gan; images of Mary and Champagnat settingout on the way, in haste; and finally, a prayer toMary.

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The section we have called “Future Horizons” de-velops the different aspects of this fundamentalcall, offering some principles and convictions,and suggesting courses of action.

The document ends by summarizing some of themore relevant decisions taken by the members ofthe XXI General Chapter. They concern the Consti-tutions, the “application of the Gospel to our lives”;the animation and government of the Institute forthe next 8 years; the finances of the Institute; theGeneral House. Each of these decisions is precededby a short introduction, prepared by the team re-sponsible for the publication of the chapter texts,with the aim of situating them in their context andmaking them easier to understand. As said above,these are only some of the decisions taken. Thetotal collection will be found in the “Acts of the XXIGeneral Chapter,” which will be published next. Experience tells us that there is no direct relation-ship between the production of documents and theprocess of change in individuals and institutions.Therefore, when there was discussion in the chap-ter hall about how to transmit the Chapter to theMarist Institute, it was clearly perceived that eachmember of the Chapter would have to be the bestmessage through his personal commitment and hisawareness that the decisions taken by each wouldaffect, for good or ill, the whole Institute.

Conversion begins when we recognize that thecall of God is addressed to each of us, in a verypersonal manner, and when we begin to takeconcrete steps to respond to it. I doubt very muchthat such an important challenge on the collec-

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tive level as “go in haste, with Mary, to a newland” can be carried out, if at the same timethere is no movement, no interior journey on thepart of each one of us. Do we have the audacityto set out on the way, in the footsteps of Mary ofthe Visitation, who conceived Jesus in her heartbefore she did so in her womb?

Let us harvest with faith and confidence the fruitof the discernment of the Marist Institute. The

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same Lord who invites us to a radical followingof him will give us the means and the strengthnecessary to do so.

Mary, our good Mother, accompanies us withtenderness and sensitivity. May she bless eachone of us.

Br. Emili Turú SG

Letter

from the Capitulants

Dear Brothers, Lay Marists, and Young People

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Dear Brothers, Lay Marists, and Young People,

Warm and heartfelt greet-ings from the XXI General

Chapter! May the presence of Jesus, the tender-ness of our Good Mother, and the boldness ofMarcellin Champagnat accompany our life andmission.

For some months now, we have been on the movepreparing for the Chapter. We arrived in Rome car-rying with us the enthusiasm of many Brothers,

With Mary, go in haste to a new land!

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Lay Marists, and young people who participatedin the process: new hearts for a new world!

Now we direct this message to you, Brothers, LayMarists, and young people, to share with you thegood news that we have experienced and to passon our passion and hope. With Mary we say, Magnificat!

“Behold I make all things new” (Ap. 21:5)

We came together here in Rome, leaving behindthe routine of our daily lives, figuratively climbeda hill and pitched our tent. We lived together

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S as brothers and sisters who enjoyed being part ofthe same family, the family of Marcellin Cham-pagnat.

The diversity of our vocations and cultures en-riched our discussions. We give thanks to Godfor the variety of lifestyles and ministries thatexpress the charism of Marcellin in the worldtoday.

A spirit of discernment, prayer and sharing en-abled us to listen to God who transforms ourhearts, opening them to read his presence in thesigns of the times and in the lives of our sistersand brothers.

For the dynamics of the Chapter we were seatedaround tables. This arrangement helped us to lis-ten to one another in the spirit of the Gospel, toenter into fraternal dialogue, to take decisionsand put them into practice. The richness of ourcommunity life made us aware of the joy of liv-ing together in simplicity and joy as brothers andsisters. It’s worthwhile to be Marist today!

We are happy and givethanks to God for theelection of Br. EmiliTurú as our new Supe-rior General and hisnew team for the ani-mation and govern-ment of the Institute.

Mary made her pres-ence felt in our as-

sembly. She took us by the hand, revealing her ma-ternal love and urging us to go in haste to a newland.

A God who surprises us… (Lk. 1: 29)

God has a dream for each one of us, for hu-mankind, and for our Institute. By listening to ourhearts, we discover the love, mercy, and tender-ness of a God who is both Father and Mother. Atthe same time, we acknowledge our weaknessesand inconsistencies. It was a similar experienceof God’s love that drove Marcellin to be enter-prising, daring, and to take risks. The essence ofhis dream was “to make Jesus Christ known andloved by children and young people”.

We desire to carry on his dream: as men andwomen of God, prophets of fraternity in a dehu-manized world searching for meaning and thirstyfor God. In the light of this Chapter experience,we feel called to respond, as brothers and sis-ters, witnesses to the loving and maternal faceof God.

...and transforms our heart (Ez 36:26)

We have heard the call of the Lord: “You must beborn again” (Jn 3: 7). Jesus invites us to conver-sion of heart. This implies making a firm decisionto be open to the grace of God and to be trans-formed. Only if we are open in mind and heartcan God change us and teach us to live with God’seyes and heart. God’s love urges us to conversion,to rediscover the heart of our respective voca-tions. The world thirsts for authentic witnesses,

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people who risk their lives in order that the GoodNews is announced to everyone. “The kingdomof God is near. Repent and believe the goodnews!” (Mk 1: 15)

We have looked realistically at our potential,and also at our limits and failings. We seehearts hardened by routine and conformity. Theaging and diminishment of our Institute weighon us. We ask questions about our identity andthe future of our style of life. We find it hard toform communities that are truly prophetic. Re-structuring has still not been wholeheartedlyaccepted. Our spiritual poverty is still a con-cern; we can’t seem to place Jesus and hisGospel at the centre of our lives. And our chang-ing world continually challenges our structuresand projects.

But God has surprised us with a visit, just like theAngel did with Mary at the Annunciation. For us,God has asked us to go out into a new land. Lit-tle and weak that we are, we’ve asked: “How canthis come about at this stage of our history?” Butour hopes have been buoyed by recalling Mar-

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WITH MARY, WE GO IN HASTE TO A NEW LAND!

We feel driven by the Spirit of God to go into a new land, to facilitate the birth of a new epoch of Marist charism.

This presumes a willingness to move on, to let go of the familiar, to embark on a journey of both institutional and personal conversion over the next eight years.

We travel this road with Mary, guide andcompanion. Her faith and openness to God’swill inspire us to undertake this pilgrimage.

This “new land” is an authentic renewal of the Institute; it asks of us a genuine change of heart.

cellin’s favourite psalm: “If the Lord does notbuild the house …” We realize that no matterhow small we are, God is standing tall beside us.It is in our weakness that we experience God’stender embrace and strength.

Together we have dreamed about our future andhave discovered the fundamental call that Godhas for us today:

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The spirit of this XXI General Chapter, the close-ness of the bicentenary, and a deeper conscious-ness of our internationality all urge us to:

a.A renewed sense of consecration firmly rootedin the Gospel, urging us to new ways of beingBrother.

During this Chapter, the Spirit has called us towelcome a ‘new way of being Brother’. Weneed to recover the originality of the namethat Marcellin gave us - Little Brothers of Mary.

. Brothers, sons of the same Father, called byGod to give our lives totally through our re-ligious consecration, anchoring our lives inJesus Christ. Each Brother is the artisan ofhis own formation and process of conversion.

. Brothers among Brothers, signs of theKingdom by our simple style of life, by

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sharing life and faith, with a renewedspirit of prayer and mutual forgiveness.Brothers in a community, visible andopen, inspired by the enthusiasm of thefirst community at La Valla, and appro-priating for ourselves the boldness ofthose who built L’Hermitage. Brothers,encouraged by the faithful witness ofour martyred Brothers.

. Brothers to poor children and youngpeople, present among them as theysearch for meaning. Brothers with a pas-sion to be signs of God’s love, and boldenough to move to areas where othersdo not go.

. Brothers without borders, open andavailable in welcoming the diversity ofour Institute. Called to go beyond ourborders, allowing ourselves to be evan-gelised by others.

. Brothers of Mary, walking with her, in-vited to discover her in the Gospel - thefirst person to tread the road of faith. LikeMarcellin, for whom she was mother andmodel. “From that time on, the discipletook her into his home” (Jn 19:27).

Let us recover the heart of our life as Brothers, asconsecrated religious to become for the world liv-ing reminders of the Gospel.

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b.A new relationship between Brothers and LayMarists, based on communion, searching toge-ther for a greater vitality of the Marist charismfor our world.

We acknowledge and encourage the vocationof the Lay Marist. We believe that the Spirit isinviting us to live in a new communion ofBrothers and Lay Marists. Together we will pro-mote greater vitality of the Marist charism andits mission in our world. We consider this to bea “Kairos”, a key opportunity to share and livewith daring the Marist charism, forming to-gether a prophetic and Marian Church.

. The International Marist Mission Assem-bly in Mendes enabled Brothers and LayMarists to live an experience of com-munion. Together we felt called to revi-talize our lives and our Marist mission:“One Heart, One Mission”.

. We welcome with appreciation the newdocument “Gathered around the SameTable” as a source for reflection and dis-cernment in the coming years.

. We believe in formation processes andexperiences involving both Brothers andLay Marists. These will ensure a solidpreparation and help us to be faithful tothe intuitions of our founder.

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. We support the Champagnat Movementof the Marist Family and we welcomeother new expressions of Marist life andbelonging that are emerging in diverseforms in different parts of the world. Atthe same time, we feel the need to de-velop processes that allow all Marists tobe co-responsible for our life, spiritualityand mission.

. Brothers and Lay Marists, we share theresponsibility for seeking new Marist vo-cations. The cry of Marcellin Champag-nat, “We need Brothers!” continues tourge us on. May each of us, Brothers andLay Marists, be daring and invite youngpeople to join us and become Brothersor Lay Marists.

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c.A highly significant presence among poor children and young people.

Look at the world with the eyes of poor children.

Let’s go in haste - with Mary of the Visitation -with Marcellin Champagnat rushing to the sideof young Montagne. Bringing Jesus Christ tothe young, especially the poorest, “in all thedioceses of the world”. In their faces, we willfind the face of God.

. To you who are working in our educationaland social works, we invite you to encour-age your students to transform their hearts,their lives and actions, so that they grow tobe persons with respect for life, committedto the building of a just and solidarity-ori-ented society. Teach the students the im-portance of ecology, and encourage themto be willing to work towards a better andsustainable world. Realize that the idea ofgoing out to a new land carries some im-plications: sharing the responsibility for mis-sion, giving priority to evangelization,giving preference to the poor and least fa-vored, and transmitting the Marist charismto a new generation of educators.

. We are promoting intercultural andinter-religious dialogue, based on re-spect, mutual growth and relating asequals among different religions, cul-tures, and ethnic groups (cf. Mendes).

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. We are developing an international andintercultural mindset towards our Maristmission. The Ad Gentes Project invitesthe Institute to recapture its missionaryspirit.

. We remember Mary and Joseph fleeingto Egypt to protect the child Jesus. Thisimage urges us to become experts andadvocates for the rights of children andyoung people; speaking bravely andprophetically in public forums. We feelourselves impelled to challenge social,economic, political, cultural and reli-gious practices that oppress childrenand young people. Now is the time forus all to join in the work of the MaristFoundation for International Solidarity(FMSI).

. As an international congregation ofBrothers, we are all responsible for ourBrothers living in difficult economic sit-uations. We are called to enact this re-sponsibility and live solidarity by sharingboth material and human resources.

With Mary, go in haste to a new land (Lk 1: 39)

At this stage of our Marist history, God has providedus with the special opportunity of this General Chap-ter to return to the fundamentals of our charism.After the experience of this Chapter, we feel like thedisciples at Emmaus: “Were not our hearts burningwhile he spoke to us on the way” (Lk 24: 32).

We have been transformed and are now sent totell the good news to the Marist world. This partof our pilgrimage is over, but the journey contin-ues. The message of the Chapter needs to takeroot throughout the Institute. So now, we themembers of the XXI General Chapter say:

. to you, senior Brother, who has giventhe best part of your life to the missionof the Institute, thanks for your fidelity.You have an honored place with us onthe journey. We continue to count onyou - your witness, your presence, yourjoy, and your prayer.

. to you, our Brother in mid-life, continueon the pilgrimage. Don’t be afraid of thenew ways that lie ahead. Jesus, Mary,Marcellin and your Brothers are walkingwith you. Time is short, go ahead and dis-cover your new heart for a new world!

. to you, our young Brother, who is be-ginning Marist life, live in joy and hopefor a future where the gift of the sacri-fice of your life for God will change the

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world of children. We are counting onyou, your dynamism, and your faith.The future of Marist life is in your hands!

. to you, young one in formation, postu-lant or novice, live generously the gift ofyour life to which God is calling you. Godis faithful and loves you always. Behappy being a Marist!

. to you, our brother or sister Lay Marist,who, in your heart, desires to live outthe fullness of your baptism within thecharism of Marcellin Champagnat - let’swalk together!

. to you, our young Lay Marist, whodreams of a better world, take time toopen your eyes to the realities of theworld around you. Listen in your heartto what God is saying to you. Come, joinus on the journey!

Mary and Marcellin have lived this pilgrimage.Now is the time for us to undertake the journey together.New Marists towards a “new land”!

Fraternally,Marist Brothers of the XXI General Chapter

October, 2009 Rome, Italy

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With Mary, go in haste to a “new land”

We feel impelled by God to go out into a new land,to facilitate the birth of a new epoch for the Maristcharism. We know that this presupposes a willing-ness to move on, to let go of the familiar, and to em-bark on a journey of institutional and personalconversion over the next eight years. We go on ourway with Mary as guide and companion. Her faithand openness to the will of God inspire us to under-take this pilgrimage.

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FundamentalCall

The “new land” of an authentic renewal of the In-stitute invites each of us to a genuine change ofheart. The spirit of this XXI Chapter, the approach ofthe bicentenary of our foundation, and a greaterconsciousness of our internationality urge us to:

• A new consecrated life, with a strong Gospelidentity, that will promote a new way of beingBrothers.

• A new relationship between Brothers and Laypeople, based on communion, for the sake ofgreater vitality of the Marist charism for ourworld today.

• A highly significant presence among poor chil-dren and young people.

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ary, you are our companion along the way and the main inspiration for our pilgrimagetowards our Marist Bicentenary.

Welcome into our hearts and homes today.Your openness, faith and spontaneity touch our heartsto be open in our turn to the Spirit,the gift of your Son Jesus.

As Marists of Champagnat, Lay and Brothers,we desire to change.

We look to you as model and companionin living our vocation of following Christ,with the joy, sensitivity, love and energyyou brought to educating Jesus.

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You gather us all and unite usacross the worldinto one internationalcommunitybearing your name,a sign of communion to ourChurch and world.

When we contemplate you as woman filled with faith,your spirit of intuition and initiativeimpels us, as it did Marcellin, to be Good News for the poor children and young people of our worldtoday, in “new lands”.

In trust we pray, like Champagnat,“If the Lord does not buildthe house…”and we say, “You have done everything for us”.Magnificat!

With you, Mary, we go to theFather, in union with Jesus and inthe Spirit of Love.

Amen

towards a “new land”

Future Horizons

PRINCIPLES

We long for a newness ofheart and consecrationthat will open us to a newidentity as Brothers:

1. a brother, who by consecration, be-longs only to God and who fromthere sets out in haste for the newfrontiers of poor children and youngpeople;

2. a brother with a new heart who wit-nesses to conversion to Jesus Christthrough a life of unconditional loveand radical availability;

3. a brother who, guided by the Spirit,makes discernment a daily exercisein seeking the will of God in theworld;

4. a brother with a missionary heart,journeying with Mary, witnessingto a faith which is down-to-earthand joyful, and which announcesthe arrival of a new world thatbegan with Jesus.

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A new consecrated

life which promotes

a new way of being brother

Marist A new heart

PROPOSAL FOR ACTION

1. To take steps, at Province, regional and Insti-tute levels, to promote networks of spiritualityto animate the call to conversion, a spiritualjourney we make with Mary, making use ofprogrammes of reflection and accompani-ment.

2. To orient the coming revision of the Constitu-tions towards the birth of a new epoch for theMarist charism. This revision will seek the par-ticipation of all the Brothers and will providethe opportunity renewal on three fronts: per-sonal, community and mission so that we be-come clearer signs of Jesus and his Gospel.

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brother: for a new world

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3. To invite all the Brothers and communities todiscern the best way for them to be presentand close to children and young people so thatthis presence is more significant and visible.

4. To propose new styles of community, in con-tact with poor children and young people,which will promote a more simple lifestyle.

5. To be prophetic signs of brotherhood bystrengthening our love for one another in theday-to-day life of our communities throughgestures of warmth and brotherly care.

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6. To promote, at the different levels of govern-ment, international houses of formation to en-courage in new generations the growth ofmissionary availability, a sense of our interna-tionality, and intercultural sensitivity.

7. To revise existing programmes of youth min-istry, vocation promotion, initial and ongoingformation, to promote a better understandingof the identity of the Marist Brother in theworld of today, and an integrated growth ofall dimensions of the human person.

Brothers in a new

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PRINCIPLES

1. We recognise the valueof the vocation of theLay Marist.

2. We see our Marist fu-ture as a communion of

people in the charism of Champagnat, where ourspecific vocations will be mutually enriching.

3. We give priority to formation, both specificand shared.

4. We recognise co-responsibility for the devel-opment of Marist life, spirituality and mission.

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PROPOSAL FOR ACTION

1. To continue to support the Champagnat Move-ment of the Marist Family, and to work ac-tively with other people attracted to ourcharism in exploring new ways through whichtheir vocations can be recognised and sup-ported in the life of the Church.

2. To support the developing of local communi-ties of Brothers and Lay people to share Maristlife, spirituality and mission.

3. To develop, in the AUs and the regions, for-mation experiences (both specific and shared)which are inspired, amongst other things, bythe documents In The Footsteps of MarcellinChampagnat, Water from the Rock, and Gath-ered Around the Same Table.

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4. To establish an international commission,composed of Brothers and Lay people, withthe goal of developing a guide for shared for-mation, allowing for various cultural and re-gional differences.

5. To enlarge the operation of the Bureau of Laityand to increase, as appropriate for each place,the involvement of Lay Marists in various

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structures of animation at regional and provin-cial level.

6. To hold another International Marist MissionAssembly, along the lines of Mendes.

7. To enliven vocations ministry through a co-op-erative effort of Brothers and Lay people.

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PRINCIPLES

1. We want to see theworld through the eyesof poor children andyoung people and thuschange our hearts andattitudes as Mary did.

2. We feel impelled to act with urgency to findnew creative ways to educate, evangelize, beadvocates for, and be in solidarity with pooryoung children and young people.

3. We affirm that evangelisation is the focus andpriority of our ministries, proclaiming Jesusand his message (Mendes).

4. As Marist Brothers and Lay Marists living intoday’s globalised world we are called to havehearts and minds that are international in out-look.

Una presencia

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PROPOSALS FOR ACTION

1. To promote, at all levels of our Institute, therights of children and young people; and to ad-vocate for these rights in public institutions,both governamental and no-gobernamental.

2. To develop further our educational ministriesas evangelizing centres that promote bothhuman and Christian values wkile integratingfaith and life.

3. To develop programmes in each region thatform people to work with the poor and be-come experts in the evangelisation of poorchildren and young people.

4. To develop and integrate into all programmesof formation for Brothers and Lay people, ex-periences which sensitise them to the needsof the poor children and young people.

5. To establish international and interprovincialcommunities which will be open to MaristsBrothers and Lay Marist and serve in the van-guard of new areas of mission.

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6. To develop structures to co-ordinate and guideMarist Mission networks throughout the worldand develop a plan for the mission initiativesof the General Council for the next eight years.

7. To strengthen the further development of Mis-sion Ad Gentes in Asia and open it out to otherareas where a need is discerned.

8. To establish a Marist volunteer service in sup-port of our mission, whose members are avail-able to work in our ministries in need or to bemobilized for emergencies.

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Mission in a new world

Decisions1. Constitutions 2. Animation and Government

3. Finances 4. General House

1. Constitutions

The capitular assembly recognizes the value of the Constitutions as the “application of the Gospel to our lives”. Inspired by the work of the pre-chaptercommission on the Constitutions, it begins by approvingthe following two main proposals.

Later, it will give approval to the changes in the articles of the Constitutions and Statutes, which will be published in the Acts of the XXI General Chapter.

1. The XXI General Chapter mandates the Gen-eral Government to appoint a PublicationTeam, which will integrate in a single textthe various changes effected in the Consti-tutions and Statutes by this and previousChapters. This text will be consistent instyle, language, numbering and references.

1. The XXI General Chapter believes that for anew world, we need a conversion of heart.A thorough revision of the Constitutionsand Statutes, with the full participation ofthe Brothers, can help to revitalize our vo-cation. To facilitate this, the XXI GeneralChapter recommends that the General Gov-ernment appoint a commission to carry outthis revision and that the new text be pre-sented at the XXII General Chapter.

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2. Animation and Government2009-2017

Reflection at the Chapter returned repeatedly to the animation and government of the Institute. A pre-chapter document had prepared the work and a series of organization proposals, with an evaluation of the pros and cons. This work allowed for more rapid advancement towards a model of government in accord with currentrequirements, while being flexible enough to respond to the diversity of the Institute.

At the same time, guidelines and recommendations were offered to give greater dynamism and efficacy to the different instances of animation and government of the Institute.

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By animation and government we under-stand the service which the General Ad-ministration offers the AdministrativeUnits, by means of structures and proce-dures, to carry out the project of vitalitycoming from the XXI General Chapter.

The principal mission of the General Ad-ministration (2009-2017) is the animationand government of the Institute. With theaim of achieving this mission, the princi-pal focus of the General Administrationshould be the accompaniment and ani-mation of the leadership of the Provincesand Districts, especially of the Provincialsand the District Superiors.

Objectives:

� to encourage at all levels structures of an-imation, co-ordination and governmentwhich prompt the vitality of the Institutein its mission;

� to implement the Fundamental Call andset in motion the guidelines coming fromthe XXI General Chapter;

� to perform the constitutional tasks of ani-mation, co-ordination and government.

Principles:

1. Subsidiarity and Co-responsibility2. Internationality and multiculturalism3. Solidarity 4. Discernment 5. Respect for difference6. Brotherly presence and accompaniment

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Means:

General ConferenceThe General Conference is a consultativeassembly composed of the Brother Supe-rior General, the Brother Vicar General,the General Councillors, the Provincialsand the District Superiors, if this is pro-vided for in their district statutes.

The General Conference is called:

1. to strengthen the unity of the Instituteand to promote favor the direct con-tact of the Superiors with one anotherand with the Brother Superior Generaland the members of his Council;

2. to study matters of general interestand propose solutions.

Brother Superior General convokes theGeneral Conference between two Chapters.

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He can invite other persons to it, if hejudges it appropriate (C 142; c 632; c 633,1)

RegionThis is the union of two or more Adminis-trative Units of the Institute which grouptogether to facilitate mutual collabora-tion (cf. C 125,1).

Council of Provincials and District Superiorson a regional and/or international basis

This is a meeting of a group of Provincialsand District Superiors, at the request ofthe General Council and/or the Provincesand Districts involved, to treat mattersthat generate dynamism and vitality in aparticular region or in the entire the In-stitute, whenever it is judged opportune.

Extended General CouncilThis is a means by which the General Councilin plenary meets the Councils of a Region, toaccompany the Provincial and District Coun-cils, to learn about the actual situation of theRegion and to exercise co-responsibility in theanimation and government of the Institute.

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Visits for AccompanimentThe visits are a means of animating theAdministrative Units, in the spirit of thefundamental call and the guidelines ofthe XXI General Chapter. They are offeredto all the Brothers, above all to those incharge of Provinces and Districts.

Brother Superior General must visit per-sonally, by his Vicar, by his Councillors orby other delegates, the Provinces and Dis-tricts, at least once during his mandate (C 130.1, c 628)

Recommendations to the General Council:1. to have recourse to the creation of

secretariats or commissions for spe-cific needs;

2. to impel processes of collaborationand organization between Adminis-trative Units and/or Regions;

3. to evaluate and accompany, accord-ing to established criteria, theprocesses of restructuring the Ad-ministrative Units.

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3. FinancesSeveral sessions were devoted to studying the economic and financial situation of the General Administration. The criteria of solidarity, internationality and mission coming from the fundamental callresonate with special intensity with regard to the use and destination of the resources at the disposal of the Institute.In addition to learning about the actual state of affairs, the capitulants drew upsome principles and recommendations to guide the management of the General Administration and the Administrative Units in relation to finances,for a better and more efficacious service of the mission of the Institute.

Principles:

1. The resources of the Institute serve the lifeand mission of the Congregation.

2. The government and animation of the In-stitute are financed principally by the Ad-ministrative Units.

3. The Administrative Units are responsiblefor the ordinary expenses of the GeneralAdministration on an equitable basis.

4. Transparency and accountability are re-spected in the administration of the re-sources of the Institute.

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5. Financial independence and lasting viabil-ity are the long-term objectives of the Ad-ministrative Units.

6. The Administrative Units, in the spirit ofsolidarity, are prepared to provide mutualassistance so that these objectives may berealized.

Recommendations:

1. How are we to finance the expenses ofthe General Administration?

That the General Council appoint a teamof specialists in finance to draw up a planfor the financing of the General Adminis-tration, taking the work of the pre-chapterFinance Commission as their point of de-parture, and following the call of the XXI General Chapter.

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2. How are we to procede with the financing of the Administrative Units?

That the General Council appoint a team ofspecialists in finance to draw up a plan forthe progressive achievement of the eco-nomic autonomy of the Administrative Units,as well as the Mission Ad Gentes Sector, tak-ing the work of the pre-chapter Finance Com-mission as their point of departure andfollowing the call of the XXI General Chapter.

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4. General House

Following other General Chapters which made decisions with regard to the General House,this one also discussed this matter.

In this case, the Chapter considered a previous study on the functioning, services and costs of the General House, in addition to outlining and evaluating somealternatives. With this data in hand, the chapter assembly recommended theGeneral Council to continue with the study and,if they fulfilled the conditions detailed below, to plan for the possible sale and transfer of the General House.

The XXI General Chapter, in conformitywith the vision and the calls it has inspired, recommends to the General Council:

1. the possible sale of the property andbuilding of Piazzale Champagnat;

2. the subsequent translation of the seat ofthe General Administration, under the fol-lowing conditions:

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The General Council

1. will appoint an international commissionof experts to further the study already car-ried out, to request a second valuation ofthe property and building, to ask for andevaluate various offers, and to accompanythe process of the possible sale and the in-stallation on the new site;

2. will guarantee a profit which the commis-sion of experts considers reasonable;

3. will guarantee adequate information tothe whole Institute about the significanceof this decision;

4. will decide the destination of the profit,

taking into account the strengthening ofthe funds of the General Administrationand the solidarity fund in favor of thepoor.

The XXI General Chapter offers also thefollowing guidelines:

The General Council

1. decides the most appropriate site for thenew seat, keeping in mind the specificneeds of a General House;

2. makes sure that the new seat reflects thevalues of simplicity, moderation, func-tionality and promotes/supports the qual-ity of community life.